Fresno Uber Accident Lawyer

The Many Benefits of Hiring a Fresno Car Accident Lawyer

Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare services will inevitably raise a robust legal defense devised by corporate attorneys and the insurance company.  If an accident victim attempts to reach settlement negotiations without legal representation (from a statistical standpoint), accident victims will be much more likely to lose a case than if they had worked with a personal injury attorney.

A Fresno car accident attorney who specializes in car accidents involving Uber drivers/Lyft drivers and understands California’s comparative negligence laws is vital. Additionally, they must be familiar with the tactics that the insurance company will use to avoid compensating Uber accident victims.

Our personal injury attorney will push for justice by engaging in negotiations with the insurance company.  We do not accept initial car accident settlement offers from the rideshare companies, as early offers are typically meant to bring the matter to an end with a minimal financial payout.  Place your trust in our personal injury attorney, and we will continue negotiating with the insurance company until a fair offer is agreed upon.

Although most Lyft/Uber accident cases settle out of court, sometimes taking the case to litigation is necessary. With extensive trial experience, our personal injury attorney will seize the prospect of representing you in front of a judge and jury if necessary.

Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Cases

The window of opportunity to obtain financial compensation through legal action will eventually come to a close.  Under the statute of limitations in California, car accident victims have two years from the date of the car accident with the Lyft/Uber drivers to file a lawsuit.  Schedule a free consultation with our Lyft/Uber accident lawyer as soon as possible, and we can begin expediting your quest for justice.

How Much a Rideshare Claim is Worth

As detailed by Science.org, recent studies show the rise of rideshare services has led to a 3% hike in car occupant and pedestrian deaths.  Car accidents that result in serious injuries or death should not go unpunished, which is why financial compensation is available to car accident victims.

However, the value of Lyft/Uber accident cases will likely be very different from regular car accidents.  Lyft and Uber drivers are typically covered by the ridesharing company’s $1 million insurance coverage.  However, if the Lyft/Uber driver was not logged on to the app at the time of the accident, the million-dollar policy cannot be applied.

On the contrary, for any Lyft/Uber driver who is logged on, the rideshares may be responsible to cover up to $1 million in damages. Depending on liability, the driver’s insurance coverage would also be utilized. Damages that can be compensated include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, lost wages, past medical bills, future medical bills, or if the accident caused a wrongful death. A Fresno car accident attorney can discuss these complexities in full detail during your free consultation.

Common Causes of a Lyft and Uber Accident

Like any other car accident, a motor vehicle accident with a Lyft driver or Uber driver is often attributed to driver negligence. However, there is the potential for other factors to directly cause or play a role in the car accident.  Those common causes apply to the rideshare driver, as well as any other involved third party, and can include:

• Inebriation – Car accidents involving a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot safely operate a motor vehicle, regardless if the driver does or does not have passengers present.
• Distraction – A distracted driver who attempts to multitask while transporting a rider is that much more likely to cause a motor vehicle collision, even if the driver is looking at a GPS map.
• Weather conditions – Harsh weather, fog, and even driving late at night can create a dangerous setting for a car accident.
• Mechanical problem – Any vehicle that is not properly maintained or one that is not properly repaired is that much more likely to be involved in a crash.
• Driver negligence – In Lyft/Uber accidents rideshare drivers might be negligent. Alternatively, another driver’s negligence might cause or play a role in the accident. Fault can also be attributed to multiple parties.

Depending on the circumstances of the Lyft/Uber accidents, our Fresno car accident attorney can argue that the rideshare company is responsible for who they employ, regardless of contracted work status.

As long as our Uber accident lawyer can prove the defendant breached the duty of care, constituting negligence, there is causation between the accident and resulting losses. This causation is likely to lead to a favorable court award or settlement.

Common Uber and Lyft Accident Injuries

The primary difference between rideshare injuries and regular auto injuries is where the passengers are positioned. For example, a head-on car accident between two drivers will result in personal injuries. However, they are protected by deployed airbags; passengers in the backseat of an Uber or Lyft are not offered the same security. The most common types of injuries in Lyft/Uber accidents are:

• Traumatic brain injuries – An impactful blow to the head can cause serious brain injury, affecting motor skills, speech, mood, and more. If not treated, TBI can result in death.
• Spinal cord injuries – The violent nature of rideshare accidents has the potential to cause one or several vertebrae in the spinal cord to shift or become otherwise damaged.
• Internal organ damage – Physical contact with the components of the vehicle interior, other passengers, or the other vehicle can cause internal organ damage.
• Knee and leg injuries – The rideshare passenger is likely positioned behind the driver, meaning there is minimal room for the legs and knees, creating a greater likelihood of a knee/leg injury.
• Whiplash and other neck injuries – The sheer force of the collision will likely jolt the victim to the extent that his or her neck jerks, ultimately causing whiplash.
• Bruising – The impact of the crash has the potential to move the victim around in the vehicle, causing bruising, cuts, scrapes, and lacerations.

What to Do After a Lyft/Uber Accident

The first thing you should do after a car accident with Uber or Lyft is to contact emergency medical responders for medical attention.  An ambulance will arrive to provide potentially life-saving medical treatment.  The doctor or other medical professional who analyzes and treats you should provide a detailed medical report that can be used as evidence in a personal injury case. This report will confirm and detail all sustained injuries.

If you are capable of using your smartphone after the accident, take video and pictures of the accident scene.   Also, take pictures of the vehicles, your injuries, and the intersection. Take note of the rideshare driver’s information, as well as other drivers involved, including names and contact numbers. Uber accidents with witnesses are impactful, as a third party’s account of the crash will help identify the negligent party.

Then, contact the police.  The officer who responds to your call will create a formal vehicle accident report.  This police report will piece together the puzzle of the accident and also provide a description of the car accident damage.  The police report just might make a considerable difference in your quest to prove the negligence of another party.

Why Our Fresno Uber and Lyft Accident Law Firm Is the Best Option

You need a local personal injury law firm on your side that specializes in Lyft/Uber accident cases. Central Valley Accident Lawyers has successfully negotiated settlements with rideshare companies for maximum payouts after their drivers caused a car accident.  Additionally, our Fresno car accident attorneys are not afraid of engaging in a legal battle in a court of law if settlement negotiations stall. We will take on the Uber and Lyft corporate attorneys to obtain full and fair compensation for our clients.

Accident victims have plenty to gain and nothing to lose from meeting with our Fresno car accident attorney.  We offer a free consultation, so we can sit down and discuss your Lyft/Uber accident in full detail. From there, we can determine how your case will hold up against the insurance company, as well as provide alternative legal options. In addition, you will not pay a single dollar to our law firm unless we emerge victorious in your case.  For our Fresno car accident attorneys, a legal victory takes the shape of a settlement or a court award in your favor.

Our success rate combined with our around-the-clock availability, awards, and access to the city’s best medical professionals ultimately make us the county’s go-to option for legal representation.  In some cases, simply sending a demand letter from our Fresno car accident lawyer with “Esq.” (esquire) in the signature is enough to motivate rideshare companies to submit to our requests.